Desira P
- Research Program Mentor

MFA at New York University

Expertise

The Intersection of Fashion & History, Costume Design, Fashion History, Period Accuracy, Costume Research, Making Look Books and Pitch Decks for Film Design, Costume Sketching

Bio

Hi! My name is Desira and I grew up in rural Pennsylvania. Starting as a fine artist, I got my Bachelors Degree in Fine Art (Painting). For ten years, I ran my own sustainable fashion line and started selling my clothing all over the world. I wanted to make clothing that told stories. I began working in the film industry and eventually, I got my Masters in Costume Design at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. My thesis was the design of an epic script centering on the life and times of of David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust and Glam Rock culture. I have designed twenty films to date, including period, fantasy, narrative, and Shakespeare. I have also worked on many commercials including Winn Dixie, Lay's, Hellmann's and Nike. My passion is exploring the intersection of history and fashion. I view fashion as anthropology. It’s fun, sure, but how societies--and what we put on our bodies--have advanced is intrinsically linked to politics, technology, architecture, economics, and the world around us. We cannot study fashion without having a keen understanding of history as well. Let's explore. I love what I do and would love to share the intricacies and attention to detail my expertise requires. It's way more than fashion!

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

The Intersection of Fashion & History

In 2023 it seems that it would be easy to conduct research, but due to so many mislabeled and yet plentiful images across the internet stratosphere, there is a saturation of disinformation. We may think we know the styles of the 1970’s or of the 1920’s, but do we really? Can we break down and map the progression in style within a decade. Can we note the difference between the 1970’s in London or NYC versus a small town in Illinois; or between different social groups or subcultures. Costume Designers and Fashion Historians must meticulously research and distill to know exactly when a photograph was taken or to confirm the origin of a garment. Think about what you’re wearing right now. Will researchers in 2060 see a difference between your current outfit and that of someone in Beijing in 2010? Most likely! In order to do thorough research and delineate the changes and nuances in how humanity has dressed, we must have a keen eye, seek out accurate information, and we need to look beyond the internet to other sources of information. I will discuss better ways to research including tips and tricks and ways to decipher nuances in photographs and garments. That includes quality and style of clothing, fabric, fit, socio-economic influences, as well as political and war-time changes; not to mention the changing fashion of hairstyles and makeup too. I want to teach you how to really see and what real people, not just celebrities and musicians in magazines, dressed like. Lastly, I aim to help you accurately decipher and document status in dress. Whether it’s the difference between a Civil War Brigadier General and a member of the Company or an 1850’s woman of privilege versus her scullery maid you seek to find, there are many exciting nuances and vast distinctions to explore in status. As technology changes, how has fashion? Fashion history is an exciting discovery of and foray into history, they are deeply intertwined. Understanding how cultures have changed creates a better understanding of why fashion has too. It's not just about magazines and style, pretty dresses and luxurious fabrics, it's about getting a clearer picture of the people in those clothes and the environments in which they dwelled, the time in which they lived, the money they had, and the world at large. Trading, travel, the cross-pollination of cultures and the advent of various technological advances all contribute to fashion and what we wear.

Costume Design Research & Sketching For Period Accuracy

With shows like The Queen's Gambit, Downton Abbey, Mad Men, The Crown, Outlander, and Stranger Things, we are given the gift of time travel. We almost feel like we are in those times with the details and idiosyncrasies some shows and movies bring to us. But how do costume designers, production designers and fashion historians do their research? How does a script or photograph translate to what goes onscreen? I want to take you on a journey into the wonderful world of historical fashion research. It's almost like being a fashion history detective. There are years of work that go into making accurate depictions of times past onscreen or on stage. It's exhaustive work, but boy, is it fun. There is a plethora of indicators and nuances within fashion history that denote status, class, change in materials, geographic location, and more. How have the lapels and trouser shape of a men's suit changed from 1850 to 1880 or the jewelry of the 1990s? Developing an eye for the vast differences in how fashion has morphed and changed with time is essential for being an altruistic designer. Whether it's nailing a time period's details you seek to learn, or sketching out an entire show, we will explore the subtle details, the hair, the ruffles, the jewelry, the shoes, the skirt lengths, and the sleeve flounce of whatever period or subculture you aim to learn about. I will discuss better ways to research, including tips and tricks and ways to decipher nuances in photographs and garments. This includes quality and style of clothing, fabric, fit, socio-economic influences, as well as political and war-time changes; not to mention the changing fashion of hairstyles and makeup too. I want to teach you how to really see and what real people, not just celebrities and musicians in magazines, dressed like. Lastly, I aim to help you accurately decipher and document status in dress. Whether it’s the difference between a Civil War Brigadier General and a member of the Company or an 1850’s woman of privilege versus her scullery maid you seek to find, there are many exciting nuances and vast distinctions to explore in status.

Self-Expression Through Artistic Means

Painting, drawing, collage, sewing, writing, weaving, crochet, rug making, furniture painting, and cooking all all things I love to do. How do and how can we express ourselves through artistic means.

Teaching experience

I have been teaching Fashion History on Polygence for three years, offering students the opportunity to create and explore projects within their individual interests and period. I have also been teaching sewing and fashion for fifteen years in New York City at several sewing schools, as well as at Etsy.com Headquarters. These classes were group and private sessions for adults and children as young as six. I love teaching and working with the various skill sets and areas of interest each student brings. Additionally, while obtaining my Masters Degree in Costume Design at New York University, I taught sewing classes to freshmen students, creating the curriculum to both advance those who arrived with skills and those brand new to the process.